>China, Japan and Korea finalized their feasibility study for a Trilateral FTA (CJKFTA). These countries account for 20% of global GDP and are ideally placed to expand any arrangement they conclude to the tigers of ASEAN.
CJKFTA envisages an institutional framework which will foster trilateral co-operation and develop win-win-win situations. This is a refreshing change from Washington’s highly mercantilist approach to the TPP, based on selling access to newcomers by demanding pre-conditions which the U.S itself is not prepared to undertake.
An integrated set of principles will guide the CJKFTA negotiations:

• it will be a comprehensive and high-quality FTA;
• it should be WTO-consistent;
• it should strive for balanced result and achieve win-win-win situations on the basis of reciprocity and mutual benefit; and
• the negotiations should be conducted in a constructive and positive manner with due consideration to the sensitive sectors in each country.